The Carolinas’ coast is included in areas a federal agency proposed Friday for possible oil and gas drilling.

Leases off most of the Atlantic coast could be offered for sale between 2010 and 2015, the Minerals Management Service said in a draft proposal.

Ten of the 31 proposed sales, including those off the Carolinas, were off-limits to drilling until presidential and congressional moratoria expired in mid-2008.

Whether all those sales actually go forward will be up to the incoming Obama administration, the service said. Public and political support, environmental sensitivity and revenue-sharing with states will factor into those decisions.

We will be interested to know if Charlotte’s Mel Watt (D-NC) will urge President Obama to include the jobs that would result from the oil lease sales in the 3-4 million jibs he promised to create or save.

We are confident that Charlotte’s Sue Myrick (R-NC) will support the job creation bill given her past position on the issue.